It is common knowledge that coal, although a longstanding energy source, is also responsible for almost 40% of the emissions behind global warming.
Regardless of how it is produced or acquired, coal continues to be among the most widespread energy sources for domestic and industrial use globally. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) global demand for coal went up to 8.53 billion tonnes in 2023. Electricity is mainly responsible for this sustained demand.
Despite its established environmental unfriendliness, it remains an almost indispensable product.
In this context, Burkina Faso-based agriculture consultant Armel Kaboré is confident that green coal will be the next big thing because of its economic and environmental potential.
Green coal or green charcoal is a product championed by Kenyan entrepreneur Tom Osborn.
It is designed to be an eco-friendlier coal for both domestic and industrial use. Osborn was worried about his mother respiratory infection which was caused by her daily inhalation of smoke from burning wood particles.
Kabore says the product couldn’t have come sooner. He acknowledges that though the process of making the product is extremely cumbersome, it is worth it. ”Ecological charcoal is better than conventional charcoal. Period. It’s charcoal that doesn’t give off smoke. It lights up faster than ordinary charcoal and is more economical,” he says
He goes further “You can’t talk about green coal or ecological coal without talking about biochar because green coal briquettes are produced from biochar. After the pyrolysis of these raw materials, the result is biochar, which can be used in agroecology as a fertiliser,” he emphasises.
Biochar has several functions in soil, including regulating the pH level, a measure of acidity or alkalinity.
For five years, Kaboré has been raising awareness about green coal and trains people on its production process. He established the Nature Afrique to take the product to a wider global reach.
“It’s a team effort. We conduct training in situ: in a field, on the road, and with the target populations, including rural households and farmers,” he explains. While China is the largest consumer of charcoal, over 850 million people use it Africa.